A Brilliant Business Idea for a Roman Nose

A great question I’m often asked is: “How do you come up with an idea to start a business if you don’t have an idea?”

My answer’s simple: “You look for problems.”

(Not the kind that gets you in trouble.)

You go look for problems that enough people have.

Problems are business ideas screaming to get solved.

It doesn’t have to be a major problem like solving rocketing gas prices and our fossil fuel dependency. In other words, you don’t need to be an “Elon Musk” to create a great business or two from big world problems.

It could be an annoyance, like Sara Blakely who didn’t like how her panties’ line was visible when she wore white pants and who subsequently launched Spanx, now a billion-dollar shapewear company.

It could also be an inconvenience. For instance, when I first moved to the US, in 1986, I couldn’t find a spa to have my legs waxed or to receive a facial. I took this as an opportunity and opened a small skin care studio which, after the viability of the concept was proven, became a 4,000-square-foot spa facility.

Here is an example of a brilliant idea I recently encountered. I was over the moon when I discovered it because it solves a real problem for me.

I’ve always loved to swim. I swim 2 to 3 miles per week for mental and physical balance. I love swimming so much that whenever I encounter some body of water; mountain lake, ocean, pool, or river, I can’t help but take a little lap, preferably with goggles.

But I have always found goggles to be very problematic!

I have bought and discarded dozens of them. Ultimately they fog, leak, and give me painful pressure headaches requiring that I frequently interrupt my laps to re-adjust.

Super frustrating!

I thought there was something wrong with the shape of my face. It seemed that everyone else was fine with their goggles.

I even blamed my Roman nose! 😉

Nonetheless, as annoying as they are, goggles are a swimmer’s indispensable paraphernalia. So, until recently, I suffered in silence.

Last month I watched an episode of Shark Tank when I discovered an idea that promised to solve my problem. A Danish company (now in the US), called Magic5, was raising money from the “sharks.”

Its innovative product caught my attention: custom-fitted goggles!

Woo hoo!

All I needed was to let their online optimal fitting technology, through my webcam, scan an image of my face -Roman nose included- and the company guaranteed the perfectly fitted goggles.

It seemed too good to be true, but I ordered a pair. It arrived within a couple of weeks. Still skeptical, I took my new goggles for a swim…

U N B E L I E V A B L E !

Lo and behold, they worked as promised! No fog, no leaks, no headaches, no interruption to re-adjust.

I have never been so pleased with a purchase. Why? A real problem solved!

And it turns out there are billions of swimmers worldwide with the same goggle problem.

Of course, there are other steps needed to turn a brilliant idea into a successful business. But it starts with “a problem!”

Here are my wonderful new goggles:

What about you? Do you have an idea for a business?

Let me help you vet the viability of your idea to make sure it flies and doesn’t flop.

Or perhaps you want to start a business, but you are “idea less?”

Either way, I invite you to book a free consultation, and we’ll discuss the next steps for your business career.